"There is
an intense but simple thrill
in setting off in the morning
on a mountain trail, knowing
that everything you need
is on your back.
It is a confidence in having
left the inessentials behind
and of entering a world
of natural beauty
that has not been violated,
where money has no value, and possessions are a dead weight.
The person with the fewest possessions is the freest.
Thoreau was right."PAUL THEROUXThe Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the Pacific, 1992

Rausch Gap Appalachian Trail Shelter Rebuild Project 2011-2012

This exciting project will leave a legacy of comforting shelter for AT hikers for many decades to come!

The Appalachian Trail shelters provide hikers refuge from the elements. The BMECC maintains 7 shelters, and some require serious maintenance at times. The Rausch Gap Shelter was built in 1973 within State Game Lands Tract #211. It also includes a privy built in 2005. The shelter was scheduled for a roof replacement this year but, upon starting the work, it was discovered that too many of the logs had rotted and needed to be replaced. As a result, a total rebuild project was undertaken. The work was done entirely by volunteers at the BMECC Rentschler Arboretum for ease of accessibility and, when completed, the shelter was disassembled, transported to its state game lands site, and re-assembled.

This project was a rare opportunity to witness, learn, and participate in woodsmanship and craftsmanship from our pioneering past (with some "modern" assistance!). We had BMECC members and non-members alike (see below) volunteer their help at various times throughout the project and it is likely that anyone who helped in any capacity will remember their time on the project with great satisfaction and pride!

Thanks to our amazing volunteers!

We greatly appreciate each and every person and organization who volunteered their time, effort, and skill to the Rausch Gap Shelter project. Without you, this piece of American history could not have been built: